Fungo bats are, simply put, a long, skinny, and lightweight baseball bat used for fielding practice. Typically, they are around 34 to 37 inches in length and between 17 and 24 ounces in weight, give or take a couple of ounces. They will also almost always feature a 2 1/4 inch barrel diameter to allow for more control during a swing. As you can tell, fungo bats are longer than a normal baseball bat and much more lightweight in comparison. Most fungo bats are going to be made up of ash wood while there are some maple and bamboo wood fungo bats, some composite wood fungo bats, and very few aluminum alloy fungo bats. Almost all of these designs will be under $100 with very few eclipsing that mark.
When it comes to baseball gloves, it's not uncommon for players to develop a deep attachment to their glove. It's the same glove they trot out onto the field with every inning and many players, once they are into the 'adult' sizes, use the same glove for their entire life! It might seem crazy to outsiders, but there's just something about a high quality, leather baseball glove that becomes part of a player to the point that it feels wrong to wear a different glove. That is why it is so important to find the right glove, the right pocket, the right size, the right leather, and the right color. Gloves aren't just gloves, they are part of who you become as a player. Check out our selection of gloves by position, size, and brand or explore the buying guide specifically made to help you decide which baseball glove to buy if you need some guidance!
Padded support shorts sometimes worn to protect the thighs when the player slides into the bases. Some sliding shorts contain a pocket for a protective cup. This is so the player does not have to wear a jockstrap and sliding shorts at the same time, although many players find the cup is held in place better by wearing it in a jockstrap under sliding shorts.The origin of the word "fungo" is unknown and argued upon as there are many possible options as to the origins of this unique word. It is assumed by many to be derived from the Scottish word fung meaning to pitch, toss, or fling. This would make sense, as fungo bats are designed to do just that. Or, the alternative to this origin is that fungo comes from 1937 where David Shulman, writer for the American Speech, said, "My guess is that the word, which is baseball slang, may be explained through the elements of a compound word, fun and go." Lastly, a third belief is that the word fungo comes from an old game, similar to that of baseball, where the players used to chant, "One go, two goes, fun goes."
Before we get started, we have to define the word "fungo" or "fungoes." To summarize, fungo (fungoes for plural) is a ball tossed into the air by the batter and struck as it comes down during practice sessions. If you are a coach, you are more than likely familiar with a fungo bat. Or, if you are a player who has ever worked on ground balls or pop-flys in practice, you should know what a fungo bat is, as well. For the rest of us, a fungo bat might as well be a foreign object. What is that oddly shaped, extra long practice bat? So, let's answer the most common fungo bat questions:
As to who created the first ever fungo, baseball fans may never know. The word fungoes and fungo batting have been referenced since the early 1800's, but nobody has been able to pinpoint the original source. Baseball fans and historians both agree that the creator of the first ever fungo is somewhat of a mystery. Here at JustBats, we may not know who created the first ever fungo, but we are sure glad that they did!
Players can also create complex holes such as ‘two-part holes’ where the players must hit or reach one object before attempting to shoot at the hole. For example, a ‘two-part hole’ could consist of hitting the scoreboard first, and then once they have hit the scoreboard they must hit the ball back to home plate, that would be one hole with the player with the fewest strokes winning the hole. ‘Two-part holes’ are typically saved for the last hole in order to make things more complex and difficult on the leader.